The Akatsuki members, seeing Tobi's smooth-talking and how true-to-life his words sounded, all looked at him strangely.
How many times must he have done this to be so practiced?
And Tobi's words didn't just fool Juzo Biwa, they almost fooled the rest of them too.
They couldn't help casting a sympathetic look at Juzo Biwa; though he was their enemy, this honest executioner's-blade wielder being toyed with by the obnoxious Tobi did seem a bit pitiable.
As an elite jonin of the Hidden Mist, Juzo Biwa might not be the sharpest mentally, but his sensory perception was strong; otherwise he couldn't have fought his way out of the bloody mist.
He immediately noticed the strange looks the Akatsuki were giving him, they weren't the looks of comrades, and he snapped back to himself.
He shook his head, "No, that's not right."
"My memories have always been continuous; there's no way I could have amnesia. Those details, though described very vividly, ultimately never happened."
Saying that, Juzo Biwa grew angry. He lifted his executioner's blade toward Tobi, seeming ready to hack him down.
"Are you treating me like a fool for your amusement? Tell me, where did you get that intel? Have you been monitoring my every move all these years?"
Tobi spread his hands helplessly, "Biwa, you'd sooner believe I've been spying on your life than accept that you're one of our comrades?"
"Sigh! I've never lied, yet I'm misunderstood by the world again and again. When will you people start trusting me?"
Juzo Biwa, feeling clever and resolved not to be fooled again, snorted, "Pathetic lies. If you won't tell me the truth, then let my executioner's blade do the asking."
Tobi pretended to look dismayed, "Biwa, you have zero sense of humor. Life in the Mist Village must be miserable, come back to Akatsuki early. Akatsuki is your true home."
Juzo Biwa ignored him and turned to his six comrades, "Give me that masked man. I'll use his blood to prove I never betrayed the village."
The other six members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen shrugged.
In truth, even if they'd been a bit bewildered earlier, they'd already figured out that Biwa had been duped.
And given what they knew of Biwa, fearsome-looking, enough to scare kids, but basically decent, it was unlikely he was an Akatsuki undercover in the Mist.
Munashi Jinpachi, holding his explosive-laden blade, wore a teasing expression as he looked over the Akatsuki members, as if choosing merchandise.
"Since Biwa's picked his target, I suppose I should choose mine. Who shall it be?"
Yahiko, seeing Munashi Jinpachi act arrogantly, felt anger rise. As the former leader of Akatsuki, he instinctively stepped forward to confront him.
But before he could move, Konan grabbed him.
"Yahiko, leave this one to me."
She stepped up toward Munashi Jinpachi, "If you insist on fighting, I'll be your opponent."
Munashi was about to reply when Kakuzu couldn't help but say, "Konan, shouldn't I handle this kind of thing?"
Konan shook her head, "No, Kakuzu. You're very good with explosive tags, and I've recently been studying them more closely."
Kakuzu's face went sour.
"So you two fighting would be a huge waste of money. Konan, our family's poor; the explosive tags you make haven't even filled our headquarters' storeroom."
Konan twitching her brow suddenly said something philosophical, "Kakuzu, do you know the purpose of making money?"
Kakuzu blinked, "Isn't making money itself a kind of pleasure?"
Konan said, "No. Money saved is worthless; only money spent is money. If you keep earning and I keep spending, then the whole thing has meaning."
Kakuzu found her argument strangely reasonable and couldn't refute it. For some reason he felt an urge to cry. He clutched the money pouch under his Akatsuki robe, determined to guard it tightly from now on.
He couldn't stop Konan now, he feared she'd find a way to empty his hard-saved funds.
By now Munashi Jinpachi had grown furious and shouted, "Are all of Akatsuki dead? You let a woman step forward to fight? Swap her out, I won't fight with a little girl!"
That remark infuriated Konan. She replied coldly, "Is that so?"
Then her body suddenly dissolved into sheets of paper that whirled into the air. The paper re-formed above Munashi Jinpachi, assembling into a pair of enormous flapping wings on Konan's back.
She floated upward, becoming suddenly majestic and sublime, like an angel descending to earth.
Konan told Munashi Jinpachi, "Win against me first, then talk boasting."
Munashi Jinpachi had no interest at first, but seeing Konan use that strange paper secret technique, his expression lit up with excitement.
"I take back what I said earlier. You might be a decent opponent. My attack range is huge and can affect bystanders. Dare you move to another location to fight me?"
Konan only glanced once at Munashi Jinpachi, then beat her wings and flew off, calling back, "Then follow me."
Munashi Jinpachi shot off after her without thinking.
This sudden turn of events broke the still-tense standoff. Juzo Biwa, seeing the distraction, wasted no more words and swung his executioner's blade straight at Tobi.
The fight was on. The remaining members of the Seven who hadn't chosen opponents attacked based on instinct.
Hoshigaki Kisame immediately singled out Nagato, and slashed at him, saying as he did, "I love cutting red-haired people the most. Back in the Whirlpool Country I cut dozens, not enough. Today let me cut another one."
Nagato had been lukewarm about fighting, but hearing Kisame's words made him want to act. He coldly said, "Ridiculous!"
Then he raised a hand, aimed at the approaching Kisame who was already nearly within reach.
Actually, Kisame's taunt had offended more than just Nagato.
Sasori, who had been hiding within the Hiruko, felt targeted too and, without thinking, drove his enormous stinger toward Kisame.